


Brackenwood

by SassyLassy



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Other, mythological creatures, the ancestors have different names too, their names have core roots back to who they are in canon though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-11
Packaged: 2018-03-20 23:30:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3669207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyLassy/pseuds/SassyLassy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A woodland that has been forgotten by humanity which had long since abandoned it is taken back by not only nature, but the creatures who once inhabited it. Overall, the trolls of Homestuck including Ancestors and Dancestors and the famous 12 are animals and creatures of myth living in a woods.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Brackenwood.

It was a land that had fallen to legend. Once upon a time the woods had been on the brink of being taken in as human land. You know the types. The ones that have huts, homes, and castles. Brackenwood did indeed have a castle, but it had long since been abandoned by humankind as had the rest of the land. The animals which had once called it home had thinned in numbers, scared of the humans, they’d vanished deeper into the darkness of the woods while the humans had attempted, and failed, to call it home.

Longer than any being could remember, the humans had left. It had been a disease, spreading and taking life after life and swiftly the humans realized it was best to move on. Brackenwood was not made for them, and it had been foolish to attempt to claim it. So the woods, the fields, the running streams and the depths of the woods, was left alone.

The castle, which some human of nobility, had built was left to the woods. Of course, it didn’t take too long for nature to once again reclaim it. Slowly moss grew on the bricks, seeds that traveled on the wind and in the stomach of birds found themselves between crevices and cracks and taking root. When an entire tower had crumbled due to age, a tree had seemed to take it upon itself to grow squarely where the rocks and debris had resigned. Roots snaked along the walls before finding the ground, and the tree had grown strong against the castle offering it more shade.

Within the castle, rooms lay abandoned. Dust had no place to stay due to broken windows, where fresh wind and animals came through on a daily basis. The creatures, too, once returning to the lands of the woods after the humans had abandoned it, called the castle home as much as the rest of the land. Mice, badgers, foxes, even deer and elk found the insides of the giant castle a fine and safe place to birth their young before taking them out to explore the woods where there were little to no predators.

But when the humans had abandoned the woods of Brackenwood, something else had slowly come from the darkness of the thick trees. It hadn’t happened immediately, since nothing does in nature. It had been slow, at first. A trickle. A fleeting glance of a hoof, or a muttering of a small voice from beneath fallen log.

For deep within any wood, if it was old enough, was magic. A strong, pure magic that hearkened back to the days of the Goddesses and their grace and the Gods with their power and might. Humans, who long since believed themselves to be the most powerful and influential creatures on the earth, were truly not for there were creatures far older than them.

By the time that the satyrs returned to the forest, the castle was already engulfed in greenery. It still stood tall, was still a safe haven for many of the animals of the woods, but now it would become a safe haven for them as well. Not as though there were many of them, only three, but enough.

The tallest, the grandest and most intimidating of the three was simply known as Grand. He’d had a name, long ago, but had lost it to memory. He was a towering sight to behold with tattoos inked into his face, and bare arms that looked like a humans at first grasp. But thick black hair grew over his forearms, as well as the thick hair on his chest which trailed down to where his human appearance shifted gear to that of thick black fur and legs of a goat.

His hair was black and unruly, and truly his face was one that would instill terror and panic into the heart of any who didn’t know him well enough.

Lowering his head he looked down upon his sons, one of which was partly clinging to one of his legs, his purple, curious eyes gazing at the castle. In his arm, was too small to cling to him, much less walk. He was wrapped in swaddling and sleeping in his fathers protective embrace, dreaming the things babes did at such an age.

"We’ll be safe here." he spoke in a language not heard of by human ears, as he pulled his eldest son, Kurloz, closer to his side. "Do not fear. I will make it safe for us."

It was perfect, truly it was. Beyond the castle was a lake, vast and plentiful of fish and fresh water perfect for drink and of course bathing. One does not raise smelly children, after all. Trees lined the lake, willows, oaks, pines, small scraggly bushes that dipped their leaves into the cool water.

And so the castle, whose name was not known by any of them, became a home to not only assorted woodland creatures but three satyrs who made the most of it. They saved a lot of the aging furniture, making it theirs, making wobbly chairs stable and claiming old broken down beds as theirs only to shove wool and leaves from the world outside to help bulk them up and smell more Earthly and less of the human smell that sometimes still lingered if you moved something too much.

But the satyrs were not the only creatures to return to the woods. It seemed as though their appearance, their settling, triggered a trickle down reaction for soon beings of old were appearing again in the woods as if they had always been there, and very much belonged there. Centaurs roamed the fields, kelpies swam in the lake besides the castle, fairies built their homes in tree holes, and gremlins made a home for themselves in the foothills of the mountains.

There they tinkered and worked with the rocks and metal they would harvest through digging their endless tunnels, making their goods readily available to the rest of the magical folk who were slowly turning the long abandoned forest into a home once more.

"So much to do."

The head of the satyrs stood in the door way of the castle late one night. His sons were asleep, and wouldn’t move until the bird songs would call the sun to begin her dance once more across the skies. He knew they were safe, tucked away in one of the upper rooms, wrapped in the blankets that had survived their time without touch.

He stepped out into the woods, his hooves silent against the soft grass and he readily began to pick up speed going from a gentle walk to an all out run as he bound, leaped, and basically ran through what was left of the village. The roofs had long since caved in, the walls consumed by greenery, and some human made things were slowly sinking into the soil and grass where they rightfully belonged.

Soon he came to where three streams converged, one making its way towards his like, the other coming from the mountains, and the last would head towards the sea where the water folk lived. He came to a stop, bending down to dip a hand into the water to cup some and drink quickly.

It was then that his sensitive eyes picked up a sight one normally does not see coming from the leaves of a near by tree. He lifted his head to observe a moment longer and raised his long ears as he realized it was smoke. Naturally smoke meant fire and that put him on an instant alert for a fire in this dense a woods would be catastrophic and if he had to move his boys as soon as he’d gotten them settled he would be very unhappy.

He was just approaching the woods when a small pixie suddenly shot out of one of the adjacent trees, her wings catching the light of the moons rays as she zipped around him quickly. Huffing he raised a hand to attempt to swat at her, but she easily avoided his massive limb. He must be like a giant to her. And she very brave, or foolish, for attempting to take him head on.

"What do you want?" she called out, her voice surprisingly high and loud for such a tiny thing. "Begone!"

He snorted, in her direction, and the strength of his breath knocked her back a little. “I want nothing of you, small bug.”

"A bug!" she huffed, "I am no bug I am Shima Maryam, a pixie! You watch your tone or I’ll bite you and drink your blood!"

"You could drink yourself full and I’ll still be kicking, Maryam." he answers back. But he eyes the tree with the smoke coming from among the branches. "Is this your tree?"

"None of your business, beast." Shima snipped.

"Shima!"

A voice from the forest floor caught both of their attentions, both the satyr and the pixie looking down towards the ground where among the green grasses and moss, was a very visible bright red hat. Shima flies down to the hat, and more importantly the one wearing it, fussing and whispering.

"What are you doing out here get back inside I can handle him."

"You don’t need to handle anything." the one in the hat answered.

Now that Shima Maryam had finished her zipping about, the satyr could now get a better view of her. She was like a smaller human, though there were striking differences. For one her eyes were larger, she had wings that made him think of a fancy moth, and she also had a plume of fluff around her neck that dipped down to cover her small breasts from view.

The stranger besides him was a gnome, he could tell that by the hat wear alone. He wore a grey cape that cloaked the rest of his clothing and his black hair popped out from beneath his hat. Very young for a gnome then, since they grew facial hair fairly young. Though if he squinted he could see some stubble around the gnomes jaw.

"Hello! Welcome!" he called, raising both his hands into the air. "I am Atlas! Atlas Vantas. And who are you?"

"Lybcus." the satyr answers, "Lybcus Makara."

"Well Lybcus Makara I welcome you to my home though I think it would be rather difficult for you to fit inside." Atlas laughed, weakly, as Shima continued to carefully watch Lybcus as if he were attempted to stomp them with those massive hoofs of his.

"Clearly." Lybcus answered, since it was known that Gnomes made their homes beneath strong, tall trees and were big enough for the family residing and of course the natural guest. But no way would a creature of his size fit inside. He points to the smoke. "Is that yours?"

"Ah yes, I’m baking. Sorry if the smoke scared you!" Atlas apologized, despite Shima hissing at him not to.

"Didn’t scare me."

"Of course not, giant satyr like you nothing scares you!"

A human might. But that was another story for another time. Lybcus crouched, slowly, getting a closer look at the gnome and pixie. “How long have you been here?” he asked.

"Oh, my family’s been here for generations now." Atlas answered, "But we’ve kept out of sight, out of mind. Shima here, her family’s been here just for a hundred years or so." he gestured to the pixie, who huffed.

"Long enough. So you’re the new one who moved into the castle by the lake, aren’t you?" she asked.

"You know?" Lybcus asked.

"News of new arrivals travels fast in these woods." she answered, folding her arms over her chest. "You have two boys, a newborn, and an older one."

Lybcus drew closer suddenly, a growl rising from his throat. “Don’t you speak of my children.”

"What are you going to do, smash me?" Shima teased, before Atlas put himself directly between the two of them.

"Easy. Easy now. We don’t want to start no fights! Shima, watch your tone. Lybcus, I’m sorry. Your children clearly mean the world to you as do my own, and Shimas as well. We all have children to care for, and these woods are our safety. Basically what we want to know, is what are you going to do here? Are you going to run us out?" Atlas asked, putting his hands together as he observed Lybcus. Wow he was a mouthy one.

"No." he answered, countering the many words with very few of his own. "I only seek to keep my children safe. So I’m going to."

Both looked surprised by this answer.

"Safe?" Shima asked.

"Humans." Lybcus answered, frowning as he stood again and turned his head to look around the immediate area. Only fire flies and the hooting of distant owls. "They could come to these woods at any time. So I need to ensure that doesn’t happen."

"How?" Atlas asked.

The satyr turned to gaze down at the smaller creatures and a slow grin slowly spread over his face. He stood taller, ears folding fast and grin as huge as life itself. “Connections.”

_To be continued_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gamzee and Karkat, a young satyr and gnome respectively, find their usual day of frivolity and messing around Brackenwood disrupted when they happen upon something new in the woods.

The only sound to be heard was the gentle babbling of the brook. Water that had traveled from the foot of the mountains, now slick with snow, was making its lazy way down towards the ocean far in the distance.

Sometimes the sound of bird song would break the silence, but soon the bird too would fall into silence as if it too were basking in the beauty of the early morning coolness.

Dew settled on the near by flowers, where lazy bees and quick moving bee sprites dipped themselves rapidly through the flowers before zipping back towards their hive.

Over all, the mornings in Brackenwood was beautifully picturesque.

It was thus shattered and broken by the incoming screams of a small gnome who was clinging for dear life to the hair, and horns, of a young adolescent satyr.

"Slow down, slow down, HOLY MOON SLOW DOWN!!!"

And from the bushes leaped the young satyr. His face pulled back in a wide, toothy grin as he ran through the grass. His nimble, black hoofs barely kicking up any dirt or grass, as he bolted towards the streams.

Within his hair, sat the gnome. White knuckled, fists clutching at hair and horn, eyes wide as small sized dinner plates and teeth clenched. He saw the stream approaching rapidly, and shut his eyes tightly.

The last time Gamzee tried to jump the small brook, he’d wounded up dripping water everywhere. Karkat, the gnome, second born of Atlas Vantas, prayed to the Sun and Moon that they’d make it this time. He didn’t want to loose yet another hat to the stream.

Gamzee bleated a loud laugh as he crouched, and leaped as close as he could to the brook. He soared, arching over the brook, and landed on the other side but hardly gracefully. The satyr’s hoof hit a rock, he tumbled, head bowing forward, rear going up, and Karkat clung to his horn so he wouldn’t be thrown entirely if not squashed under the giants body.

They landed in some flowers, startling some bees, and upon sitting up Gamzee brayed another laugh as he kicked his hooves.

"I done did it!" he announced, looking upwards towards his hair line. "Karkat did you see?"

"Course I saw it you dummy." Karkat grumbled, smoothing down his small red hat which his father had made for him last Winter moon.

Gamzee was about to reply to that when he felt something sharp tugging at one of his flanks. He bleated and jumped away, Karkat almost falling off in the process, and he spun to see what the source of his flank poking was.

"Sollux!" he grinned.

"Gamzee." grumbled the bee sprite, who looked angrier than normal since his morning of gathering pollen for his mother had been disrupted by Gamzee’s big fat butt almost landing on him. "What the heck’s wrong with you?? You can’t go jumping into flower patches like that!!" his tiny wings buzzed rapidly as he flew upwards, circling Gamzee once before landing on one of his horns.

"Oh. KK. Didn’t see you there. Is it just me or are you smaller than last time I saw you?" teased the bee sprite, who always tended to gloat around Karkat. It wasn’t like he towered over him, however. Barely a head taller, but those stripes on his body were awfully trimming after all.

"Oh go hug a bear." Karkat muttered as he adjusted his hat back atop his head.

"So what are you two lay abouts up to today?" Sollux asked, buzzing away from Gamzee’s horn to fly around them again as Gamzee dusted himself.

"Lay abouts, hardly!" Karkat scoffed, "Just cuz we don’t work ourselves from morning to night like you do!"

"Hey I got a job to do!" the bee sprite snipped, hands to his hips. "Honey’s important! You know how much of that stuff you guys eat?? Me ‘n my family makes the best in the woods!"

"It really is pretty tasty." Gamzee mused as he began to make his way through the flowers, not at all attempting to be careful and not trample more of the delicate things.

"Hey!" Sollux tutted, pinching one of Gamzee’s long ears. The one with the ripped tear in it. "Watch your big stupid hoof feet! Anyway, I can’t stop to buzz much as I’d like." he zipped away, pausing to give a single wave. "Later!" and with that he flew away and was soon out of sight.

"That guy needs a holiday." Karkat grumbled.

"Hah," Gamzee snorted, "If Sollux sat for any longer than a few seconds without buzzin’ round he’d blow up."

"Probably." scoffed the gnome. "Can’t take a break unless it’s winter and then he’s in a coma till spring."

"Figure he needs it."

Brackenwood was, to put it mildly, paradise. For the mythological creatures and even the animals themselves who calls it home knew peace. They knew prosperity and alignment between the races which had never been seen before. Lybcus had brought them together for a common need, that was keeping humans out.

From the Manticores who owned a great lot of land for their hunting to the South West, to the Jorogumo, Nagas and Goblins who manned the mountains, and of course the Fauns who lived not too far from the Satyr’s castle. Even within the castle itself were the Kelpies, and even beyond those to the North East was the beach and the oceans who were watched carefully by the Sirens whose songs could down a ship of humans if they came too close.

A connection of word of mouth, as well as magic the types of which these beings are born running in their blood lines, kept the humans out. It made the land of Brackenwood the safest place for the likes of them, and it had been many Moons since the last human managed to work their way through their defenses.

The very center of the woods, the place what Gamzee called his playground since he’d been old enough to toddle away from his watchful fathers gaze, was the safest place imaginable. Fairies, pixies, and gnomes kept a watchful eye always and any sign of actual trouble somehow made its way to the ears of Lybcus himself.

One does not want to be on the receiving end of a grown satyrs wrath, after all.

Karkat and Gamzee had grown up as friends, as well as various others around their age like Kanaya who like her mother had apparently taken it upon herself to mother Karkat as much as she dare. Which, of course, Karkat didn’t care for.

Then there was Nepeta who was always up for adventure as long as it didn’t get in the way of her hunting and eating which was almost all the time it seemed. But with her sister and mother, Nepeta kept the population of deer and other animals from getting too out of hand.

Aradia was similar to Gamzee, she had hoofs and wool that hugged her legs but she was a faun. Her mother was smart in the ways of magic and power and she worked closely with Lybcus in the patrolling of Brackenwood.

"Wanna go scope on Nepeta?" Gamzee asked his very best friend in the whole wide woods, and world beyond.

"No way she keeps saying she’s going to eat me one day." Karkat grimaced, finding the joke of eating gnomes not at all funny at all. If his brother were around he may launch into a long, arduous rant about how offensive it is about jokes involving eating. Thankfully he isn’t here to do that, and is too busy fishing.

"Aw I wouldn’t let her eat you!" laughed the satyr as he began to playfully threaten to go towards the Manticore territory.

"You almost ate ME once." the gnome pointed out, grumpily. "Dad keeps telling me how you just put me in your mouth. I lost my first hat to your stomach."

Gamzee brayed with laughter, and while he couldn’t remember the incident he sure had been told about it on numerous occasions by both his, and Karkats, dad. The two had grown up fairly close, despite being so greatly different in size. Standing by himself, Karkat just came up to the size of Gamzee’s hoof. How easy it was for his taller friend to scoop him up and carry him either in his arms, or up in his mess of black hair where twigs and bugs sometimes nestled.

But Karkat didn’t mind picking them out since not only was it that weird social grooming thing that Gamzee enjoyed, but it also made his ride more comfortable without a centipede suddenly crawling out of the hair and wriggle its way across his lap.

Last time that happened he’d almost fallen off his friends head entirely in shock.

Their wandering of the woods never went too far, since while both dearly loved to visit Equius and Terezi up near the foot hills of the mountains, since both the goblin and naga were interesting and fun in their own ways (even if Equius was a busy body type like Sollux with his building things), they also came dangerously close to Vriska.

And Gamzee had fully admitted to being scared of Vriska. So visits to Terezi, or Equius, were quick and not too long since Gamzee swore the spider monster woman could smell his flesh so she would come sneaking out, out of her cave, to tease and hiss.

By past midday the pair had wandered further North West, not really directly aiming themselves at the mountains with their rugged terrain and steep cliffs, but more towards the thicker brush that grew in the area. There were berries everywhere, and a great place to sneak a snack before dinner.

Granted, Gamzee almost always was caught out when he sneaked berries since it would smear across his lips and stick between his teeth. Always.

Either way here they were, crouching down in the thick bushes, Karkat putting his small size to good use to working his way through the horny bushes to get to the biggest clusters of berries that hadn’t been picked at by the birds already.

"You’re so lucky to have me around. Just saying." Karkat said as he rolled more berries out from under the thick bushes.

Gamzee giggled and scooped them closer against one another, not eating any just yet despite how hungry he was for the berries. “Heh heh,” he chuckled, “you save me from all kinds of prickles and thorns.”

"Do I get a ‘thank you Karkat’, or what?"

"Thank you Karkat."

"That’s right."

Karkat went deeper still, grabbing at a branch that held a nice cluster of berries but then froze. There was a shape of a clawed foot not too far from where he was, and considering how small Karkat was that was a big deal. Clawed feet never meant anything good.

He gave out a sharp cry and backed up, his coat immediately snagging on one of the larger thorns. Karkat tugged, but he wasn’t that strong, so he flailed and shouted. “GAMZEE HELP!”

The satyrs mind went from berries to best friend in a matter of seconds and he was diving his hands into the bush, scratching up his forearms and hands something fierce on the thorns until he found Karkats wriggling self. He closed his hands around him as best he could and pulled, ripping the coat, but pulling Karkat free.

"THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE BUSHES." Karkat continued to scream before he leaped up from Gamzee’s hands, practically crawled up his whole upper body, and vanished into his hair.

Gamzee immediately rose to his feet and offered a feeble attempt of a growl at a shape he hadn’t even seen. It was smothered in shadows, and bushes, as well as trees that it had been impossible to spot. It was a little bigger than him, and appeared to have wings which were folded around itself acting as a kind of protection.

And it wasn’t moving.

"Who are you?" Gamzee shouted, trying to feel bigger than he really was. "What’re you doing in my woods? You done scared my best friend!"

Whoever it was said nothing.

"Yeah you better be sorry!" he continued, kicking up some grass and dirt with his hoofs in a sign of dominance and total utter fearlessness even if he was internally freaking out because this figure was big with big horns. "Ain’t right sneaking up on folk who’re trying to eat some berries and scaring a lil’ gnome who ain’t done no wrong by you! Why I—"

That’s when Gamzee realized the creature was made of stone. That’s why it wasn’t moving. Or blinking. Or breathing. He gasped and moved a little closer, though still wary of the berry bushes that separated them. He didn’t even acknowledge the stings and scratches to his arms where blood was beginning to trickle.

"Whoaa… Karkat check it out it’s all made of rocks!"

Karkat, slowly, peeked out from his safe zone of thick satyr hair. He peered at the being who, from his height, had been seemingly powerful and terrifying. “What?” he asked, before huffing. “I. I knew that. I knew that! It was a test. Totally a test. A test of loyalty and friendship and stuff like that.”

Gamzee wasn’t listening, instead he was working his way around the bushes, trying to get closer to the statue. It took a few tries but soon he was right besides the statue. Getting a closer look at it, Gamzee could see it was crouching down, hugging its knees to its chest. The wings were impressive and vast, but also made for protection as much as flying.

"Have you seen it before?" Gamzee asked in a daze as he reached out and touched one of the wings.

"You and I both know we’ve been in this field countless times." Karkat muttered, "And there’s never been a statue." he then froze, and gripped at Gamzees hair tightly. "Humans."

At that word Gamzee immediately jumped back, looked around like a frightened deer, before running. If humans had been here, if they had brought this thing, that meant they may be near by. And if humans were near by Gamzee knew that, given his age, the best thing to do is run and seek shelter as fast as possible.

Not just for himself, but for Karkat who was hanging onto him. He ran as quickly as his skinny legs could carry him and didn’t look back until they were beyond the babbling brooks. Past the tree that Sollux called home. Even past Kanaya, and Karkats home. They opted to avoid all of that and all out hid in one of the back rooms of the castle and didn’t move until the darkness of night began to creep through the world.

~*~

Berries were scattered on the ground before the berry bush. They had been there, some slightly trampled, thanks to some scared youngsters. What a waste of a good meal, one would think.

That is, until, a clawed hand came out of the bushes and scooped up the still intact berries and vanished back into the darkness.

"Oh… my favourite…" whispered a voice in the darkness before the sounds of chewing filled the night air.

_To be continued_


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gamzee and Karkat take Kurloz, and Mituna, back to the glen where they spotted the mysterious statue. But where is it?

Kurloz turned his head as he heard the clattering hoofs across the stone floors, and stairs, before he slowly turned his head away from the window he’d been gazing out of. He tilted his head, his long ears lifting and shifting as he listened to the sound of his little brother skitter his way through the castle. He turned and quietly made his way down the hall way to the curving stair case he’d heard Gamzee scamper up, and delicately ran a hand along the inner wall as he made his ascent up the stairs.

From the depths of his hair there was some slight movement, before two small hands moved down to wave in front of his eyes. “Kurlozzzz! Kurlozzz!”

The satyr paused, and looked at the two hands before they vanished back into his hair to be swiftly followed by some giggling. “What’s going on? Did you hear something??” the arms were thus replaced with a little face, one that had a mess of black hair that smothered the wearers eyes.

This was Mituna, Solluxs older brother. His only brother among a huge, huge family of sisters. Bee fairy males were fairly rare, after all, since majority of the populace were females who were either queens, or busy little daughters who gathered pollen.

Normally by Mitunas age he would be preparing to learn how to start making hives himself, in order to take off into the air and find a young lady bee fairy and go off together to make a hive together. Mituna, however, must have had something go wrong with his larvae stage of development since his mind wasn’t precisely par the course that it should have been.

Hence why Sollux was born.

So while Mituna would never be a king of a bee fairy hive like his father, or what Sollux himself would become one day, he was comfortably set with a friend who adored him.

Just how they got along was curious. Mituna was loud and sometimes obnoxious and rude while Kurloz was silent as the grave. Unlike his brother Gamzee who bleated and laughed and talked at lengths about anything, Kurloz barely spoke a  word.

All their years of knowing each other, Mituna could count on one tiny hand how many times he’d heard Kurloz speak.

The answer to Mitunas’ query was answered when Kurloz held one fist up, with two fingers held up but curled. This was Kurlozs way of saying ‘Gamzee’. Answering Mitunas’ question as to just who he heard.

“Oh man Gamzeeeee!” Mituna grinned as he ducked back down into the thick forest of black hair to pop out a little further back, sitting atop the others head perfectly now as his little wings rapidly buzzed but made no attempt to lift off. “Wonder what he’s up to it’s way early he should be out still the moon hasn’t even come out yet!”

He rattled and talked, excitedly, as Kurloz continued his way up the stairs and came to a stop at one of the door ways that was curved like an archway. He peered into the room, spying Gamzee sitting in the far corner of the room, clutching his own small companion, Karkat, to his chest.

Kurloz tilted his head, concern on his face since he’d never seen Gamzee look so scared. Well, he had. Once. And he didn’t like to think back on that day. He approached, clicking his tongue to the other.

“Saw something.” Gamzee answered immediately, “Something that ain’t been here before.”

“Was it your butt?” Mituna asked, before giggling joyfully at his own joke.

“Shut up buzz boy!” Karkat snapped, shaking a finger angrily at the bee fairy. “It was huge, and made of stone, and it wasn’t there yesterday!”

Kurloz frowned at this, and held his left hand up as a fist. Also known as his symbol for their father, a fist to represent the power and strength which is what he was all about.

“I dunno, I don’t know if I wanna tell dad.” Gamzee said, looking away. “You know how he gets about human stuff… if he thinks they’re here and putting stuff up he’ll freak out and not come home for nights at a time cuz he’ll be out there trying to find them.”

His older brother frowned and scoffed. That is what their father did. It’s what he’d always done, ever since what happened to their mother and their old home. He’d turned Brackenwood to a safe place so his children could be children and if there was a threat, a well known documented threat of humans, Kurloz knew their father wouldn’t stop until he had blood dripping from his fists.

It was good to have such a strong and powerful father, but also if the desire to keep his children safe kept him away from them, it seemed rather misguided. No matter how good his reason was.

“So you saw something stupid and got all scared and ran home, wooooow.” Mituna scoffed, before he leaned forward, gripping Kurlozs’ hair tightly in his four hands. “Can you show us where it is??” he asked.

“What, no way!” Karkat gaped, “I ain’t going near there!”

“Nonononononono,” Mituna insisted as he propelled himself from Kurlozs’ hair with all the grace of a falling bumble bee since that is exactly what happened. His wings gave out and he plummeted with a startled yelp, but was caught in Kurlozs’ hands easily. He sat up, then stood up, opening his hands to Karkat imploringly. “You gotta show us this spooky scary thing you saw! Pleasssssssssssse??”

Karkat cringed. “I dunno.”

“Where’s dad?” Gamzee asked, slowly standing up.

“What you are not serious. You’re joking. You got to be joking!” Karkat wriggled in his friends grasp, but now he was too high to attempt to drop to the ground. No way would he break something like that.

“Awwww yes!” Mituna grinned toothily. He loved it when he got what he wanted.

~*~

Making their way through the woods in the dead of night was never something Gamzee enjoyed. Ever since he’d been small, the darkness that shrouded the world always made him feel a little tense. Even with the Moon illuminating the darkness to the best of Her ability did little to ease his hammering heart.

So shaken about it all was he that he didn’t even attempt to jump the same stream that he had easily jumped over not a few hours ago. Naturally Kurloz jumped it, with Mituna hanging on, gleefully yammering and talking about any and everything that popped into his little head.

“–and I told Sol if he keeps this up he’s going to run the stripes off his big bee butt!! Can you imagine that, Sollux without his stripes that’d be hilarious!” Mituna broke into hysterical laughter.

“HEY.” Karkat shouted suddenly from his safe place in Gamzees hands, “You KNOW if there ARE humans around do you really want to ALERT them to us approaching with your YAMMERING?”

“Wow Karkat if you’re so scared about humans why don’t you keep quiet so they don’t spot us?” the bee fairy asked back, in such a way it was impossible tell if he was joking or being deadly serious.

“…I hate bee fairies.” hissed the gnome as he tugged one of Gamzees fingers closer around him.

Soon they came to a stop. The berry bushes lay ahead, and there were scatterings of berries here and there. Gamzee took a few steps forward before he second guessed himself, and hurried back to stand behind Kurloz. “This is the place.” he said quietly. “This is where we saw it.”

“Sweet!!” Mituna squealed as he leaped out of Kurlozs hair, and unlike the last time he remembered to flap his wings since he buzzed, in a very bumpy kind of way, towards the bushes as Kurloz hurried after him.

Karkat wanted to say something about being careful but honestly now, Kurloz was always careful and he wouldn’t cry if Mituna got squashed under some humans hand. Or boot. Gamzee held his breath, holding Karkat against his chest, eyes wide as he watched Kurloz slowly move through the bushes.

It was deathly silent. The air itself appeared to hold its breath, as lazy fog began to slowly move in, clouding everyone’s visibility. Where had it come from? Was it fog season? Gamzee didn’t know since he never liked being out after dark.

“What the buzz!” Mitunas small, but loud, voice came from the fog. “There isn’t anything here!!”

“Ah!” Gamzee jumped as Kurloz came out of the fog suddenly, Mituna sitting on his shoulder. His older brother looked confused, before it was relapsed with a scowl. He held up his hands, wriggling his fingers. This angered Gamzee, who took a brash step forward. “I ain’t telling stories!!” he said, “I saw something! It was big and made of stone! And it was right there!” he pointed, though in the fog it was now even more difficult to see anything than before.

Kurloz clicked his tongue, and shook his head before tapping his nose.

“Liar? I ain’t a liar!” Gamzee said, growing more and more restless.

“He isn’t a liar I saw it!” Karkat spoke up from Gamzees hands, climbing out swiftly, and climbing his way up onto the others shoulder. “It scared the hat off my head, it was giant!”

“Heeeeeeee!” Mituna giggled. “Just silly little kid stories! You guys didn’t see anything out here!”

Gamzee snorted and pawed one of his hoofs at the ground, lowering his head in a very obvious sign of wanting something like a fight. His tail wiggled, before he bounced forward towards Kurloz and gave a loud bleat as he did. In turn Kurloz bounced back, Mituna almost falling off his shoulder just like how Karkat ahd almost slipped off Gamzees shoulder as well. But instead of retreating Kurloz dashed forward, silently, and slammed his forehead right against Gamzees own.

“AH!” Gamzee staggered back, grabbing at his head, as he went tumbling and landed on his rear in the grass.

“Hah!” laughed the fairy bee, then giggled more. “Kids!”

Karkat, having had to grab two fistfuls of hair to prevent himself falling from such a great height, worriedly pressed a hand against Gamzees face and was about to ask if he was all right when a shadow suddenly washed over everyone. It was quick as lightning, but it had most certainly happened. For a moment, the moon in all her bright beauty was gone. And back just as quickly.

Mitunas laughter stopped. Kurloz spun around, eyes wide and ears up, listening. Gamzee even ceased his whimpering, his own eyes doubling in size.

There was sound of movement, not too far from where the group was. Whatever it was, it sounded like it was moving closer.

Kurloz bolted, grabbing Gamzee by the horn as he did, dragging his younger brother for a little while before Gamzee got his footing again and the two satyrs raced from the glen, a screaming bee fairy in ones hair, and a shouty gnome in the other.

~*~

“Hmmmm….” Atlas frowned as he held up the torn, and tattered, cloak that Karkat had brought home far later than he should have. He lowered it, eyeing his youngest son from the comfy chair he sat in before the small, though still roaring, fire in their cozy little house. Like all gnomes, the Vantas family lived underground. A tree was their roof, and they had many safety measures that kept smaller animals from sneaking into their home such as trap doors.

It was very cozy and warm, small yes but inviting none the less. Gnomes utilized the best space available, making bedrooms, storehouses, bathrooms, kitchens and eating areas and resting areas all in one. The Vantas house however had a few interesting nick knacks hanging upon the walls including an old, aged, spoon collection.

The spoons were human sized, however. Karkat had spent endless hours, while grounded, polishing those spoons.

And like all gnomes, the Vantas family made their own clothing. Atlas was not shy around sewing materials, having made his own clothing as well as the clothes that his two sons wore. He put all of his heart into their clothing, so when Karkat came home (After dark may I add) with his lovely coat torn on thorns and needed repair he had eyed it with a critical eye.

“So tell me again how this happened?” he asked as Kankri, his eldest, busied himself in the kitchen. Karkat had missed dinner, so that meant something being reheated upon the stove.

“Um.” Karkat said, standing there in his boots, pants, and simple shirt. He wasn’t that good at being a teller of tall tales. His eyes zipped around the room, unable to look at his fathers face. “It was just. An accident.”

“An accident. I can see that,” Atlas said as he held the cloak up. “Is that berry stains?”

“No! It’s. Paint.”

“Paint.”

“Yes! Paint, ah, um. Sollux was. Painting some of his hive. And my cloak got caught on his dads stinger you know how big that thing is!”

“Oh yes.” Atlas said, lowering the cloak.

“Yeah, it is! It’s just big and I wasn’t careful and next thing I know it’s caught on it and I’m spilling the paint and wow you should’ve seen how angry Sollux got at that.” Karkat said in what he prayed was a confident, sure of himself way.

“Zeke does not have a stinger.” Atlas said, setting his hands in his lap as the warmth of the fire reflected off of his face. “Male bee fairies do not have stingers. Only females do.”

Karkat stood there, eyes slowly widening. Oh. Yeah. Sollux had always complained about that. How he had no stinger. That he should have one, he was a boy, but he didn’t. The young gnome pursed his lips together tightly.

“Really Karkat telling lies I don’t know where you get these big ideas in your head to think you could get away with telling such stories. Just tell us what happened to your cloak we won’t get mad will we Father no we won’t. Since when do we ever get angry or upset at you about anything I mean besides the fact you came home later we were so worried weren’t we Father I was about to go out and see if I could find you myself then next thing I know Gamzee’s hurrying up with you and dropping you off without a word of hello much less goodbye! Satyrs I swear, they think they own the woods!”

Karkat once again found himself wondering just how his older brother Kankri could talk at such lengths without going blue in the face.

“Kankri.” Atlas said, to which Kankri huffed since he knew that tone of voice. He pushed a sparrow omelet into a skillet which he set atop the fireplace.

He turned his face to his youngest, sighing. “I will fix your cloak Karkat, but I hope one day you can tell me just how this happened.”

Karkat hated not telling him but he really didn’t know how his father would react to this. That he and Gamzee saw something in the berry bushes, that going back there proved there was something there and none of them were certain as to whether or not it was human or not. How would he respond? Would he go out into the night to investigate, and not come back like mom had?

He didn’t want that to happen.

So he stared at the ground and nodded.

“I. Yes. Sorry.” he mumbled.

“Now come here and sit your behind down and watch me sew this thing. It’s about time you learn how to darn and fix rips.”

Karkat rolled his eyes and trudged closer to his father, sitting down in front of him by this cozy fire that his brother was now cooking his dinner on, and began to take in the fine, handed down craft that was fixing rips in cloaks.

If anything it helped him forget about that shadow he’d seen. How it had made the moon itself vanish for but an instant. He didn’t want to think of something like that out there while he was safe in his family home right now.

He’d worry about it when he’s in bed, surely.

_To be continued_


End file.
